Best Friends
by storyluver10
Summary: A wedding. A conversation. A plea. An agreement. Mikan and Hotaru. Slight Rukaru and NatsuMi.


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**A/N:** Hi guys! This just kind of came to me suddenly and I hope you'll like it. It's a multi-chapter fic by the way. Please tell me what you think. Thank you.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing. Except the plot.

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"Pleeaaase?"

"No."

"Preeeety pleaaase, Hotaru?" Her voice was whine.

"For the thousand and twenty-third time, Mikan, _no_."

Mikan Sakura approached the inventor cautiously. "But why, Hotaru? Besides your boyfriend already agreed…"

Hotaru Imai sighed deeply, trying to hold fast to the last of her patience. "Because, stupid, you dragged me out of a _very important_ meeting with my investors just to ask me _that_ question."

She glanced at the fiddling brunette coldly. "If you'd have _waited_ until I got _home_, I would have actually said yes, but since you more-than-probably _destroyed_ a _multi-thousand_ deal, my answer is a definite _no_."

Mikan gulped and attempted once again to convince her stoic best friend, "I'm sorry, Hotaru. B-But this is the first time this happened right? Can you just forgive me and…agree?"

"No."

"I'm begging you, Hotaru! If you don't agree no one's gonna be my maid of honor and Ruka won't have any suitable partner… I promise, if you'd agree, I won't ever bother you during office hours again!" Mikan placed her hand over her heart.

Hotaru shook her head. "You're really stupid, Mikan. You told me that exact promise six months ago when you _interrupted_ another _important_ business call just to recruit me to fix your hair for the engagement party."

"B-But Hotaru! It was a matter of life and death! The hairdresser couldn't get the style right and you were the only person I knew who could!"

"Oh, thanks. Maybe instead of becoming a highly paid inventor, I should have just been a hairdresser."

The sarcastic remark, as usual, had gone over Mikan's head and she clapped delightedly.

"That would have been great, Hotaru! I'm sure many people would have loved you!"

Hotaru rolled her amethyst orbs and felt like banging her head on the oak table in front of her.

Deciding that no matter what she did, Mikan would not stop from badgering her, Hotaru decided to ignore the near-to-tears brunette. But when the volume of the said brunette's pleas almost reached the level where one had no choice but to cover one's ears in order to protect one's eardrums, the inventor finally conceded.

Mikan hugged her enthusiastically, "Thank you, Hotaru! I knew I could convince you!"

Hotaru frowned, "Only if you promise to _keep_ your promise this time, Mikan."

The brunette nodded and straightened up, "Okay, then, Hotaru! The fitting is on Friday, the rehearsal dinner on Tuesday and the wedding on Thursday! You are so going to love the gown I picked for—"

Hotaru cut in, "No."

She stood up and placed their cups on the kitchen sink. "I'm the one who's going to pick the gown or at least see if you picked one that's acceptable."

Mikan pouted, reminding Hotaru of their childhood, "Of course it's acceptable Hotaru! It goes with your eyes!"

"Whatever."

Throughout this entire conversation, both had been unaware that a certain blonde, blue-eyed young man had been watching, with amusement, their banter.

"Just don't forget the schedule, Hotaru and remind Ruka. I need to go. I'm supposed to meet Natsume for lunch, you know."

Hotaru did not miss the happy glow that her best friend showed. She glanced at her wall clock and smirked.

"Yes, Mikan. And you've been making Hyuuga wait…again."

Brown eyes widened and Mikan glanced frantically at the watch, "Oh my, you're right!"

With a kiss on Hotaru's cheek and a last reminder about the schedule, she was gone.

Hotaru sat down and smiled, her lips curving just slightly. She had all but forgotten about the destroyed deal.

After how many years together, Natsume Hyuuga had finally asked Mikan to marry him and the brunette had agreed wholeheartedly. Hotaru laughed at it at first, who would have thought that her bubbly, childish best friend was soon to be a wife? But even she had acknowledged, a long, long time ago, that Mikan Sakura and Natsume Hyuuga were meant to be.

She shook her head in mild disgust, her last thought was so cliche.

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"Why did you do that, Hotaru?"

Hotaru looked up from the book she was reading and glanced questioningly at her boyfriend. "What?"

Ruka Nogi smiled and sat next to her. He took the book from her grasp and placed an arm around her shoulders.

"To Mikan. Why did you let her plead like that to you?"

She shrugged. "You saw it, then?"

When he nodded, she continued. "Then you must know why. She interrupted a meeting."

"But Hotaru, you could have just told her that you've already agreed when Natsume asked."

Her voice was as unemotional as when she was introducing one of her inventions to prospective buyers. "It was a punishment, Ruka. And besides, it was Hyuuga's fault for not telling her."

Ruka chuckled. "I think he was supposed to tell her during their lunch date…where Mikan was late again."

"I'm betting you that Mikan would be late on their wedding day."

He chided her gently. "Come now, Hotaru. I'm sure she won't be."

"Hm. It's their problem if she will be. Now, let's move on..."

She pulled him down for a kiss, hooking her arms around his neck.

Ruka smiled against her lips and pulled her closer.

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End file.
